Cigarette



March 9, 1965 MILLER 3,172,410

CIGARETTE Filed Sept. 13, 1962 a I -112 |o M /-r FIG. I

20 E i a FIG. 3.

INVENTOR. ANTHONY P. MIL

BY F I G. 7. w-

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,172,4lil CTGARETTE Anthony P. Miller,Pleasantvilie, NJ. Achilles Corp., 3333 Arctic Ave, Atlantic (lity, NJ.)Filed Sept. 13, 1962, Ser. No. 223,433 Qlairns. (Cl. 1311-19) Thisinvention relates to a cigarette which is constructed and adapted forthe purpose of minimizing the harmful health effects involved in thesmoking of cigarettes.

The use of smoking tobacco is today both well known and widespread inspite of the fact that it is recognized by some authorities that smokingis injurious to the delicate membranes of the nose, throat and lungs ofthe smoker and is credited with inducing cancer of the lips, mouth,throat and lungs, and with inducing heart diseases.

The principal products of tobacco smoke are carbon dioxide, water vapor,carbon monoxide, acid fumes, nicotine vapors, and tars. The first two ofthese products are not generally regarded as harmful to the smoker. Theremainder of these products are generally considered harmful and eventhough only a small proportion of these products resulting from thecombustion of the entire cigarette actually enter the smokers system,that quantity is sufficient to be considered by some authorities asbeing harmful to the smoker.

Various means are employed to reduce the harmful effects of theseproducts of combustion. Various chemicals have been employed inadmixture with the tobacco in an endeavor to nullify the harmfulingredients of the smoke. Some of these chemicals, while apparentlynullifying the harmful smoke ingredients, release upon combustionequally toxic substances or destroy or impair the aroma that isdelighted in by tobacco smokers. Certain other neutralizing agents areunstable and, by the time the cigarette is consumed, these agents havedecomposed and fail to accomplish their purpose. Other agents causeunpleasant taste or are for other reasons undesirably employed. Numeroustypes of mechanical filters have been devised. These filters generallyadd materially to the cost of manufacture of the cigarette and many ofthem are of little value.

It is the object of my invention to provide a cigarette constructionwhich substantially retards the production of harmful tobaccoconstituents during the smoking of a cigarette whereby cigarette smokingis made less harmful.

In accordance with the present invention, the cigarette is constructed,during the course of its manufacture, with a hollow tip portion adjacenta tobacco-containing portion. The tip portion receives smoke flowingfrom the burning cigarette during smoking thereof and is provided withpassageway means through which air from the outside of the cigarette maypass into the interior of the hollow tip in response to the smokerapplying suction to the interior of the tip. Since suction in the tipdraws air from the outside, the amount of air drawn through the burningportion of the cigarette is less than the amount that would be drawn ifthe entire suction were applied to the tobacco cylinder. Hence lessoxygen is drawn into the burning portion of the cigarette so that theburning temperatures are less and generally will not be excessive. Thislowering of the burning temperature causes a reduction in the productionof harmful tars in the burning zone. Moreover, since there is lowertemperature smoke passing through the tobacco, there will be less tarsproduced by the condensation action caused by the smoke heating thetobacco. At higher temperatures more tars are formed due tocondensation.

There is also provided a small cylindrical cup-shaped or hat-shapedmember which is mounted within the tip portion of the cigarette adjacentthe tobacco containing 3,,l72Al0 Patented Mar. 9, 1965 portion thereof.The tip portion of the cigarette and the cylindrical member define achamber adapted to receive smoke from the burning cigarette and outsideair passing through the passageways in the tip portion. The chamberserves as a mixing chamber in which the smoke and outside air areintermixed thereby effecting cooling of the smoke to cause coagulationof the small amount of tars which are formed. The mixture of air andsmoke then passes through a plurality of orifices, which are formed in arim portion of the cylindrical member, and into a second chamber inwhich the gases are intermixed further. The tars, by reason of theirsticky nature, tend to adhere to various portions of the tip portion andthe cylindrical member, the major portion of the tars collecting in theregion around the edges of the orifices.

The cigarette in accordance with this invention, in addition to reducingthe formation of tars, is manufactured easily and inexpensively and hasa built-in means for collecting most of the small amount of tarsproduced. Moreover, since a small amount of tars is permitted to beproduced and most of these tars are accumulated in the tip, thecigarette eliminates most of the harmful tars while still providing atobacco aroma which is pleasing to the smoker.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will becomeapparent from the following description read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing, in which:

FlGURE l is an axial section through a cigarette in accordance with thisinvention;

FEGURE 2 is a section taken on line 22 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the cylindrical member in accordance withthis invention;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an end view taken from the right as viewed in FIGURE 4 ofthe cylindrical member;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view illustrating the orifice construction;and

FIGURE 7 is a section taken on line 77 of FIG- URE 6.

As is shown in FIGURE 1, the cigarette is made up partly of atobacco-containing portion including the usual paper wrapper 2 enclosinga tobacco filler 4. The other portion of the cigarette consists of atubular member 6 preferably made of relatively strong paper stock andhaving an outer diameter approximating the outer diameter of the wrapper2 so that the tobacco cylinder and member 6 may be positioned end to endto form a cylinder of one diameter. The tubular member 6 and the tobaccocylinder are secured together in end to end relationship by a connectingstrip of paper 7 which overlaps the adjacent portions of the wrapper 2and member 6 as is best shown in FIGURE 1. To accomplish thisconnection, there may be employed the manufacturing methods in generaluse today for joining filter tips to tobacco cylinders. The connectingstrip 7 is secured by an adhesive to the overlapped portions of thewrapper 2 and member 6 to provide a strong connection therebetween.

The tubular member 6 forms the bit of the cigarette and is provided withsuitable passageway means providing communication between the exteriorof the cigarette and the cylindrical chamber lit within the bit. Thepassageway means comprises eight openings 3 in member 6 extendingradially therethrough. Openings 8 are circumferentially equidistantlyspaced and are located beyond the end of the tobacco containing portionof the cigarette. Other suitable forms of passageway means are disclosedin my copending application Serial No. 168,702, filed January 25, 1962.It has been found that the total crosssectional area of the passagewaymeans is preferably of the order of 0.0020 square inch, althoughsatisfactory results may be obtained within the range of from 0.0010 to0.0025 square inch. The area is a function of the number, the dimensionsand the configuration of the air passages. Moreover, by varying the sizeof the openings 8, the tar reduction may be varied.

A cylindrical member 12 is mounted within chamber in abutting relationwith the enclosed end of the tobacco cylinder. This member has agenerally cup-like or hat-like shape. Member 12 has an outer diametersubstantially the same as the inner diameter of tubular member 6 so asto fit snugly therein and is secured to member 6 by suitable means, suchas adhesive.

Referring now more particularly to FIGURES 3 to 5, the construction ofthe cylinder 12 will be described in detail. The member 12 comprises apair of cylindrical portions 14- and 16, portion 14 having a largerdiameter than portion 16. The inner ends of portions 14 and 16 arejoined by an annular brim portion 18 extending transversely of the axisof member 12. The outer end of portion 14 is open and the outer end ofportion 16 is closed by a transversely extending circular end portion20. Brim 18 has a plurality of circumferentially equally spaced orifices22 therein, there being eight such orifices 22 arranged as shown inFIGURE 3. Orifices 22 are preferably formed by piercing the brim 18 fromthe reduced diameter side thereof to thereby provide jaggededgedorifices. The orifices 22 are illustrated in detail in FIGURES 6 and 7.The cylindrical member 12 may be made of various materials such as metal(preferably aluminum), paper or plastic.

The cylinder 12 is mounted within the chamber 10 of the tip portion 6 ofthe cigarette as shown in FIGURE 1 with the end portion adjacent theinner end of the tobacco containing portion. Accordingly, the reduceddiameter portion 16 and brim 18 cooperate with the inner wall of tubularmember 6 to define an annular chamber 24 immediately downstream of theend of the tobacco cylinder and arranged to receive smoke from thetobacco cylinder and outside air entering through the openings 8. Duringthe smoking of a cigarette, the smoker applies suction at the bit toproduce a partial vacuum or negative pressure in the chamber 10.Accordingly, smoke is drawn through the tobacco cylinder into chamber24. At the same time, outside air is drawn through. the passageway meansprovided by openings 8 into the annular chamber 24 to thereby mix withthe smoke. From annular chamber 24 gases pass through orifices 22 intothe downstream portion of chamber 10 and ultimately into the smokersmouth. Since the gases drawn into the tip of the cigarette to fill thevacuum are composed partly of outside air, there is a lowering of thecigarette burning temperature and a reduction in tar formation as waspreviously discussed. The orifices 22 effect a turbulent flow of thegases passing therethrough. This effects a rather intimate and completemixture of the outside air and smoke. The entrance and mixture of theair with the smoke Will reduce the temperature of the combustionproducts passing from the tobacco cylinder so that the relatively smallamount of tars which are formed coagulate. These tars, by reason oftheir sticky nature, adhere to the cylinder 12 and the inner wall ofmember 6, the major portion thereof adhering to the region around thejagged edges of orifices 22.

The use of the cylinder 12 eliminates the need for any filter adjacentthe end of the tobacco cylinder for preventing the passage of bits oftobacco through .the cigarette. Standard tests performed on cigarettescon- -structed in accordance with this invention have indicated thatthis construction can prevent the formation of up to eighty percent ormore of the tars. Moreover, the cylindrical member 12 and tip portion 6serve to trap substantially all of the small amount of tars which areformed 4 and since this small amount of tars are collected within thetip construction, a tobacco aroma is retained.

It will be understood that various changes may be made in theconstruction of the cigarette in accordance with this invention withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is notdesired to be limited except as required by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A cigarette or the like comprising a cylindrical tobacco containingportion and a tubular bit portion, said portions being mounted togetherin coaxial relation with said bit portion providing a smoke passageextending from and in continuation of the tobacco, a hat-shaped memberwithin said bit portion and adjacent the tobacco cylinder, saidhat-shaped member cooperating with said bit portion to define an annularchamber immediately downstream of said tobacco containing portion forreceiving smoke therefrom, passageway means in said bit communicating atone end with the exterior of said cigarette and at the other end withsaid annular chamber, said passageway means comprising a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced openings extending radially through said bitportion into communication with said annular chamber, said hat-shapedmember cooperating with said bit portion to define a second chamberdownstream of said annular chamber, said hat-shaped member having a brimportion providing a radially extending annular wall between saidchambers, and a plurality of orifices in said brim portion providingcommunication between said chambers, said orifices beingcircumferentially spaced about said wall and having jagged edges.

2. A cigarette or the like comprising a cylindrical tobacco containingportion and a tubular bit portion, said portions being mounted togetherin coaxial relation with said bit portion providing a smoke passageextending from and in continuation of the tobacco, a cylindricalcup-shaped member within said bit portion and positioned with the base,thereof adjacent the tobacco cylinder, said cylindrical membercooperating with said bit portion to define a first chamber immediatelydownstream of said tobacco containing portion for receiving smoketherefrom, passageway means in said bit communicating at oneend with theexterior of said cigarette and at the other end with said first chamber,said passageway means comprising a plurality of circumferentially spacedopenings extending radially through said bit portion into communicationwith said annular chamber, said cylindrical member cooperating with saidbit portion to define a second chamber downstream of said first chamber,said member having a radially extending wall between said chamber, andorifice means in said cylindrical member providing communication betweensaid chambers.

3. A cigarette or the like comprising a cylindrical tobacco containingportion and a tubular bit portion, said portions being mounted togetherin coaxial relation with said bit portion providing a smoke passageextending from and in continuation of the tobacco, a cylindricalcup-shaped member within said bit portion and positioned with the basethereof adjacent the tobacco cylinder and with the open end facing thebit end of the cigarette, said cylindrical member cooperating with saidbit portion to define an annular chamber immediately downstream of saidtobacco containing portion for receiving smoke therefrom, passagewaymeans in said bit communicating at one end with the exterior of saidcigarette and at the other end with said annular chamber, saidpassageway means comprising a plurality of circumferentially spacedopenings extending radially through said bitportion into communicationwith said annular chamber, said cylindrical member cooperating with saidbit portion to define a second chamber downstream of said first chamber,said member having a radially extending wall between said chambers, anda plurality of circumferentially spaced orifices in said wall providingcommunication between 5 said chambers, whereby gases pass with aturbulent flow between said annular chamber and said second chamber.

4. A cigarette according to claim 3 wherein said member comprises afirst tubular cylindrical wall portion, and a second tubular cylindricalwall portion having a smaller diameter than said first portion, saidannular wall extending between said wall portions.

5. A cigarette according to claim 3 wherein said base portion of saidcylindrical cup-shaped member is in abutting relationship with the endof said cylindrical tobacco containing portion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS SAMUEL KOREN,

Raecke 1319 Rosan 131201 Brothers 13110 Schreus et a1.

Lebert 131187 Lebert 131208 Miller 131-9 Primary Examiner.

F. RAY CHAPPELL. Examiner.

1. A CIGARETTE OR THE LIKE COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL TOBACCO CONTAININGPORTION AND A TUBULAR BIT PORTION, SAID PORTIONS BEING MOUNTED TOGETHERIN COAXIAL RELATION WITH SAID BIT PORTION PROVIDING A SMOKE PASSAGEEXTENDING FROM AND IN CONTINUATION OF THE TOBACCO, A HAT-SHAPED MEMBERWITHIN SAID BIT PORTION AND ADJACENT THE TOBACCO CYLINDER, SAIDHAT-SHAPED MEMBER COOPERATING WITH SAID BIT PORTION TO DEFINE AN ANNULARCHAMBER IMMEDIATELY DOWNSTREAM OF SAID TOBACCO CONTAINING PORTION FORRECEIVING SMOKE THEREFROM, PASSAGEWAY MEANS IN SAID BIT COMMUNICATING ATONE END WITH THE EXTERIOR OF SAID CIGARETTE AND AT THE OTHER END WITHSAID ANNULAR CHAMBER,